


Just left of Triangulum

by 24hourprince



Category: Hunt Down The Freeman (Video Game)
Genre: Alien!Adam, Canon-Typical Violence, M/M, alien body horror
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-10-03
Updated: 2020-10-27
Packaged: 2021-03-07 22:40:23
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 12
Words: 14,488
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26795260
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/24hourprince/pseuds/24hourprince
Summary: Bio-Mech engineer Nick is tired of being used by corporations, decides to fight back with Adam.later, Smuggler Captain Mitchell Shepard of the Avalon Vale, rescues two stranded survivers of a destroyed corporate space station.adam is venom symbiote -adjacnt
Relationships: Mitchell Shephard/Nick/Adam, Nick/Adam
Comments: 1
Kudos: 5





	1. Chapter 1

"Space, the final frontier" What a load of bullshit. Just because humans haven't been there doesn't mean no one has. It's the reason Nick is sick and tired of working from one bullshit resources sucking corporation to another. Each time hoping that it would be at least more manageable than the last, but this one really takes the cake.

He's a  _ personal _ bio-mech engineer for fucks sake, he should be working on prosthetics, and endo-skeletons. Not fucking  _ war machines _ .

It makes him want to throw up.  __

He gets up from his chair. Knees stiff from sitting too long. He decides to take the long way to the cafeteria. 

It's deep within the "night" shift. Hall lights on low power mode. He's grateful, all these corp space stations are too shiny and white and sterile and the lights on normal "daytime" mode give him a god-damn migraine. This route is almost always empty, and passes by the observation deck. It's the only thing that makes this almost bearable. 

Nick decides to grab his meal and find his normal spot on the observation deck. Is it lunch? breakfast? dinner?? Who knows. He couldn't keep track of that on Earth, why would here be any different. He punches in his order on the machine and waits for it to be prepped. 

There is just one other person here this late. The soft smell of void jasmine buns flavour the air, he hasn't smell them since uni when he interned under his Pyrasymth mentor, Dr. Accoiks. Pyrasymth culture cared way more about the practical day to day use of bio-mech equipment than humans did. He didn't know they made anything here besides exclusively human food, and exceedingly bland New American food at that. He wishes he knew that before he punched in his usual order of a nu-soy burger. 

Maybe he should talk to them?

And... nope, they're gone. They did give him sympathetic head nod as they left, the most direct interaction Nick has had in a week so he takes it as a win. Their stride seems… misaligned? He's seen it time and time again, its a minor thing, a sign of an improper endo-skeleton fitting, it can not be comfortable. Almost unnoticeable to most but a dead give away in his industry.

Nick starts to chase after them, he's more than willing to do some pro-bono work if it means working on anything besides death machines. But whoever they are, are long gone by time he's even out the cafeteria. 

Defeated, Nick walks back and picks up his meal, before sulking back to the observation deck.

He finds his favourite corner. It's dark, quiet, and one of the few places (besides his lab) where security cameras aren't tracking your every move. Nick doesn't really do anything that would need hiding from, but sometimes you want a few minutes where it feels like you aren't constantly being watched.

And… it's already occupied. He goes to walk back to his lab before he realizes it's the person from before. 

"Oh hey! I wanted to ask you something!" He says approaching the person. 

"And that is...?" Their voice is smooth and airy.

Nick makes sure they are both out of sight, and ear, from the cameras.

"Your endo-skeleton it's-" Nick is cut off, as they pull them all the way into the corner and shoves him against a wall.

"Its…?" their voice almost sounds poisonous.

"God-damn what was that for?" He makes a 'one moment' movement as he catches his breath. "It's misaligned, when is the last time you got it serviced? I haven't seen that kind of joint expenditure in years, what is it, a model TR-127c? Those were recalled a while back you know. I'm pretty sure I have replacement parts back at the lab. But your elbow? it moves like a IC-27 Lite-" He's cut off again as they step back and lets out a laugh.

"Is that it, you came here to get on my case about proper maintenance? Headquarters sent you? You know they don't give us proper units until after…" They look Nick directly in the eyes, "You're human."

"Yeah…?" He answered, confused.

"So headquarters didn't send you." They are back in Nick's face again.

Nick just shakes his head no.

"Then, how do you know…" 

"I have a degree, Doctorate in Personal Bio-Mech from N-MIT. I'm Nick. I was trying to ask you if wanted me to fix it. If I'm being honest, I would rather die than work on these bio-mech weapons any longer." 

"They are working on bio-mech weapons?"

"Fuck" 

"Let's make a deal. You keep secret about mine and I'll keep secret about yours. My name, it's Adam by the way" Adam puts out his hand to shake, Nick wipes his hand on his jeans before shaking his hand.

"Yeah, of course. My offer is still on the table, I studied under Dr. Accoiks so it's-"

" _ The  _ Dr. Accoiks, what the fuck are you doing here?" Adam asks him.

"I ask myself the same thing everyday if I'm being honest. I was  _ supposed _ to have my own clinic in Neo-Albuquerque but I was reassigned here last moment. Told me I was going to be helping people, not making machines to kill them." He doesn't realize he's crying until it's too late, the queasiness from before hits full force, he collapses in on himself. "I don't want innocent blood on my hands." 

"Join me." 

"What?" 

"I said, Join me, Nick. I'm here to take this whole thing down. Listen all you have to do is 'accidentally' let me stumble into some of your files. It would make my life a whole lot easier, and help keep your conscious clean." He reaches down to help Nick back up.

"Yeah, yeah, sure." He wipes his face on his jacket. "Here, these are the coordinates to my lab, it's a security deadzone, so you should be safe." 

"Go, I'll meet you there later" He puts a reassuring hand on Nick's shoulder. 

"Yeah, see you then" Nick looks back him one last time before walking back to his lab. 


	2. Chapter 2

Nick spends the next few days delaying the weapons progress as much as he can. Gathering and saving spare parts that he could use to help Adam. He hasn't seen him since the first night. He keeps hoping he would see him whenever he leaves his lab but that's never the case. 

He decides he deserves a break, maybe grab an actual coffee instead of the instant shit he keeps in his office, to keep his mind off of it.

Nick if anything, is a creature of habit, He orders the same drink he does every time. A large slow drip cold brew, enough caffeine to kill a weaker man.

He grabs his drink once his name is called. A note is attached on this drink. A Pyrasymth script that translates roughly into Common as [busy, come by vents] and then "See you soon :)" in Common. He's glad he has remembered to keep up with his language studies since he's left school.

Nick smiles at the note. He walks back to his lab with a spring in his step.

He sips his coffee, motivated for the first time since he boarded this station. Moving the bits and pieces of weapon production off his workstation, pulling out his real tools. There is a buzz in his bones, he wishes he could blame it on caffeine. The itch of creation, he shakes his body to disperse the energy. 

Nick hears a knock. "Come in!" 

He hears the grate from the ceiling fall to the ground. Then Adam lands, couching on the ground. 

"Holy fuck!" Nick steps back.

"Sorry…" Adam apologizes. 

"No! No! You're fine! Just wasn't expecting it, is all." Nick busies himself. "Work computer is on the left, take whatever you need." 

"Holy shit. Nick, this is a fucking  _ goldmine _ ." Adam flicks through the files. "This is more info than I've found alone in the over a year I've been here  _ combined _ . There is no way I can send it all at once…" Adam spins around in the office chair. "Hey Nick?"

"Hm?" Nick stops what he's doing and walks over to Adam. 

"Could I come back? Like every few days?" Adam asks.

"Under one condition."

"And that is." Adam drawls out

"I get to fix that god-awful endo-skeleton, it hurts me just watching you move. I can't let anyone go on like that."Nick tells him, genuine concern in his voice.

Adam huffs out a laugh "So your part of the deal is helping me?" 

"Well yeah, I can't watch people suffer. It's the reason I went into bio-mech anyways." Nick states like it's obvious.

Adam searches his face for any sign he is lying, there is no way a guy is this nice, but he's telling the truth.

"I guess I can't pass up an offer like that." Adam smirks, "It's a deal." Adam puts out his hand to shake, tendrils of flesh climbing up his arm leaving his endo-skeleton bare.

"God, Adam, this is worse than I expected!" Nick instead, practically drags Adam to the worktable. "How are you even  _ moving _ in this state. This is the worst case I have  _ ever _ seen."

Adam blinks confused. This was the best endo-skeleton he has ever owned.

It was… nice, Adam thinks. Nick has been working on his hand for the past few hours. Adam knows that he could, that he probably  _ should _ leave. Just disconnect his hand and come back in a few hours, most people with bio-mechs do. But Adam can't remember the last time he was talked to as an actual fucking person, not a tool, not some underling, just him. It has to have been years. And Nick seemed to actually care. Sometimes he would get too wrapped up in working and phase out what he said, but as soon as that bubble of hyper-concentration popped, he would apologize, put down the tools and pay full attention to what Adam said. I made Adam's hearts flutter. Maybe this mission wasn't so bad after all.

"And… There! Try that on for size." Nick finally says. "I need to order some more parts to finish it up. It's a little weak but it should be functional for now. Try picking up this mug." Nick places a mug in front of Adam.

Adam goes carefully grab it, and the mug immediately shatters.

"Holy fuck" Nick shouts. Adam waits for Nick to run away, be furious with him. "That's impressive!"

Adam is left stunned. 

Nick just wipes the shattered pieces into the trash like nothing happened and gets up, digging in his cabinets for something before tossing a ball at Adam.

"Here! Try this. It's basically a super advanced stressball. Made it myself. Should help you get used to your hand."

Adam squeezes it a few times, there is a slight buzz to it. It interacting with the bio-mech.

"Now try squeezing my hand" Nick puts out his hand. "It's fine, I trust you."

Adam apprehensively takes Nick's hand in his own. He knows how fragile humans are, he's had to kill quite a few in his line of work.

"See. Isn't that much better?" Nick gently rubs Adam's hand with his thumb. 

Now that Nick is out if his hyperfocus he realizes how long he has been working.

"Hey Adam? When was the last time you had a meal not from the cafeteria?" 

Adam has to think for a second. "Before I got here."

"Well then, I was thinking about making something. Cooking for one tends to be a hassle. But for two? The hassle is worth it. Would you care to join me?" Nick asks. 

Adam's digestive system responds before this mind could. "Sure, why not."


	3. Chapter 3

Nick leads Adam through a door off the side of his lab. It's a small-ish living quarters. just two rooms, a kitchen/bed/living room and a bathroom.

"Sorry about the mess" Nick says. "Sit wherever you like, I'll work on making us something to eat. How does [Parasymth roughly translated as Grandmother's Soup] sound? I'm nowhere near as good as Dr. Accoiks' but I would like to think it's pretty good" 

"Yeah, sure that sounds good." Adam says sitting cross-legged on the couch. 

"Nice! I'll get started on it now." Nick says digging in his fridge. "Oh shit I still got one of these?" Nick walks over to where Adam is sitting. "Dr. Accoiks  _ sweared _ by these after getting maintenance done. I guess it's kinda like when human doctors give their patient a lolly after a good job? Here! Take it!" Nick hands Adam a brightly wrapped treat covered in Parasymth script. "You've earned it." Nick says gently patting his back before going into the kitchen.

Adam has only had one of these once before. He was mistakenly invited to some party when he was a kid, his parents more than excited to pawn him off and let him be someone else's problem for a day. It was something all the kids were given. 

Adam lets out a whine on accident, he hopes Nick doesn't hear it, or know what it means. He doesn't need to know how weak he is.

Adam isn't a lucky person.

Nick comes running back from the kitchen, sitting next to Adam, pulling him close.

"Hey, hey. What's wrong?"

"Why are you being so nice to me…" Adam cant even look at Nick.

"What do you mean?" Nick is genuinely confused.

"What are you getting out of this, what benefit is this to you." Adam's skin starts to lose its human hue, slowly transforming into a bioluminescent crimson.

"Why would I need a benefit? Can't I just help out a friend because I want to?" Nick's voice is soft and reassuring.

"A friend?" Now Adam is confused.

"Yeah. Of course!" Nick pulls him in a little closer.

"...Why would you want someone like me as your friend." Adam's voice is low and quiet.

"Why wouldn't I? I know for a fact you are smart, and you have more ambition than you know what to do with, just from talking to you today. And you seem nice, you let me ramble on about that one video game for, fuck, an hour and a half."

"Oh." Is all Adam can say.

"I have to start cooking but I'll just be right over there, here let me grab you a blanket, just relax for now ok?" Nick walks a few feet over to his bed before grabbing a blanket and draping it over Adam. "If you need anything, anything at all just ask. Feel free to put anything you want on the tv, I have plenty of movies on datadisks." 

Adam gets up, blanket still pulled over him, and looks at his movies.

"Wait you have Man is The Warmest Place to Hide? God it's one of my favorite pre-galactic expansion Earth movies." Adam says flipping through the movies.

"Of fuckin' course I do. Took me  _ years _ to find the original cut on datadisk." Nick says as he chops up some veggies and tosses them in the pot.

"Wait... this is the  _ original cut _ ! I've only seen the, like, "safe for broadcast" version." Adam shows genuine excitement that he hasn't felt in years.

"Oooh You're in for a right treat then Adam. Just a fair warning some extra bits get a bit... steamy. Go ahead and pop it in if you want, I've already seen it a few hundred times." Nick says continuing to cook the meal.

The movie is about a group of scientists, stationed on a base in the Earth's Antarctic continent who find a long frozen alien lifeform. Most of them just try to experiment on it, but one of them, Dr. McRally takes his time to try and communicate with it. He eventually finds out that it's just hungry and wants to be safe and that it has the ability to latch onto, and become one with most life forms. He tries to tell the other scientists and they decide the best plan is to kill it. Dr. McRally ends up hiding them on his person. Everyone else thinks it has escaped, but after nothing happens, they give up after a few months. While the relationship between the alien and Dr. McRally deepens into something more… Personal.

Nick ends up finishing the meal about half way through the movie. Placing a bowl In Adam's hand before sitting down next to him.

"Oh, This part alway got me. There is just something so… romantic about it all. Risking your life to save someone you care about. The camerawork showing his real anxiety while he puts on a show, like nothing is happening, passing by his co-workers. The Creacher, hiding in his body, fully a part of him. A just like how the movie itself is a horror film in the body of a romance. Wish we would have got more movies like this." Nick says, "It really makes the next scene, pop, in my opinion." 

Maybe watching the original cut of this movie isn't the brightest idea, with a guy he just met, Adam thinks. He tries to distract himself with his soup. Nick seems unfazed though, continuing to describe what makes the movie so good, and behind the scenes facts. So maybe it's fine. Adam hasn't met anyone else who has even seen the movie, let alone be so passionate about it. It makes him think, maybe he isn't so weird after all, or maybe Nick is just as weird as he is. He's glad to take either at this point.

As the credits roll Nick grabs both of their bowls and brings them to the kitchen. "You know Adam, we really should do this again sometime soon. I miss watching movies with people, especially ones that know their classics." Nick hops back over the couch to sit back next to him. "I could make us dinner too if that sweetens the deal, what do you say Adam?"

"Yeah, yeah! Of course." Adam tries to play it cool but his hearts are beating rapidly. He still doesn't understand why Nick wants him around, but he's determined to fake it till he makes it. He checks is infodevice "Fuck, is it alright that late? Shit I'm so sorry Nick, but I have to go, I got a meeting with headquarters soon" 

"It's fine, come back anytime, you are welcome here whenever" Nick says with a smile, "Need help back up the vent?" 

Adam thinks for a second, "No I'm fine, just sorry about how I'm about to look" 

Adam tendrils himself up the ceiling vent. 

Nick just lets out an airy laugh and waves bye, "Seeya later Adam."


	4. Chapter 4

Nick hears knocking on his ceiling, he knows that means Adam is here. They had another movie night planned and Nick was just finishing up dinner. He turned off the stove's eye and washes his hands. Before walking over to the vent. 

"Sorry I'm late. I ran into some trouble." He tries to smirk but as soon as he goes to stand up his spine bends at an unnatural angle, a full backwards snap.

"What the fuck  _ happed _ to you Adam!?" 

"I'm fine" Adam tries to walk forward not able to move his upper body an inch off the floor.

"You are not fine, come here." 

Adam looks genuinely scared now. "Just please make my termination quick and painless." 

"What the fuck are you talking about?" Nick slowly inches closer like you would a scared cat. "Why would I kill you? You aren't dying, this isn't even a life threatening injury. I just need to see what's wrong. Please." 

Adam is shaking violently, but he slowly nods.

"I just need to touch your back, I need to see how bad the fracture is, alright. If you need me to stop for any reason, whatsoever. Please tell me ok?"

Adam just nods again, head barely able to leave the floor. 

Nick lightly traces each of Adam's vertebrae before stopping near the base of his spine.

"This is a full disconnect. There is no way I can fix this without a full replacement. I should be getting more parts first thing tomorrow morning and I know I will have a piece that will work perfect. But there is no way you can continue using your endo-skeleton like this. The load it's taking out in your body is enormous. I'm honestly impressed you are even conscious right now. Must be through sheer willpower alone." 

"What am I supposed to do?" Adam eyes are wide and confused.

"Unbond from it for now. It's safe here. I promise. If need be you can always bond to me. I won't mind" Nick places a comforting hand on him.

"Are you sure?" His voice is small.

"Of course! I care about you Adam." Nick smiles at him, a warm, confirming smile.

Adam gives Nick's hand one last squeeze before unbonding with his endo-skeleton, leaving it behind. Nick goes to carry it to his worktable, before walking back to Adam. 

He is a soft bioluminescent crimson, a mass of soft flesh, almost slug like. Two oddly shaped milky eyes, and a mouth with several rows of sharp needle-like teeth. He tendrils closer to Nick. 

He crouches down to get closer to Adam's point of view. He puts his hand out. "Let me carry you. Please, I want to help you" 

Adam stares at him for a moment before tendriling up his arm. 

Nick laughs a soft airy laugh as Adam decides to settle around his neck. "Now let's get you patched up and some dinner in your stomachs." 

"Thank you, Nick" Adam's voice is soft, slightly odd. Not quite reverberating in the same way.

"What did you want to watch?" Nick asks, glancing down to Adam, still resting on his shoulders. 

He yawns, long sharp teeth glinting in the low light. "Something calm maybe?" 

"Sure, I think I have something." Nick pops a movie in. 

Adam tendrils back down to sit next to Nick on the couch. 

They quietly eat their meal, some mindless movie playing in the background. Nick, wordlessly takes their empty dishes back to the kitchen.

Nick decides to break the silence. "How are you holding up, all things considered?" 

"Cold, a bit sore. Tired." Adam sounds sluggish.

"Come here" Nick reaches his hands out.

"Why?" Adam asks, raising the equivalent of an eyebrow, confused.

"The temperature of human skin is usually around 33° to 37° Celsius. Which is just about the same temperature you need to keep. Which is more difficult without your endo-skeleton helping regulate your body temperature. Well, that and I just want to hug you." Nick explains.

"O-oh ok." Adam starts to move back closer, before Nick just scoops him up, Resting his chin on what would be Adam's head, and wrapping his arms around him. Strong enough to put a comforting pressure around him, but loose enough that he could leave at anytime.

"Is that any better?" Adam could feel Nick's voice rumbling in his chest. His loud steady, single heartbeat thump thump-thump thumping. 

Adam thinks for a second, before letting out another yawn, "Yeah, yeah, I think so." He smiles. He sounds less tired, and more sleepy. Which is definitely a win in Nick's book.

The movie continues on. Just entertaining enough to be kept on for background noise. 

Adam falls asleep not soon long after, although he would later try to deny it. Nick pulls a blanket over the two of them to help keep Adam warm.

Nick has grown to care about Adam faster than he would care to admit. Although Nick knows he falls fast and hard. He usually hides himself in his work to distract himself, but it's much harder when his work right now is specifically helping the target of his affections. When he's fast asleep in his arms. When he always looks at Nick like he's some kind of blessing, just for showing him basic sentient decency. Or when hes always smiling that stupid smile of his, that lopsided smirk, makes Nick's head fuzzy and his heart beat just a little faster.

When Nick realizes he's been lost in thought, the options menu for the datadisk has been idling for quite some time. He yawns as an excuse to rub a few tears from his eyes. 

He hears another yawn as Adam wakes up. 

"You getting tired?" Adam asks, sleep still thick in his voice.

"I, yeah, I think I am. I could set up a heating pad on the couch and sleep there. Or you could lay down with me on the bed. It's your choice" Nick tries to sound casual but hopes Adam doesn't know enough about human bodies to know just how fast his heart is beating.

Adam makes a sound that's in-between a hum and a purr. "Hmm? Bed sounds nice...if that's ok." 

It takes a second or two for Nick to process what he said. "Yeah, of course! Let me just get ready for bed, and then we'll sleep."

Nick stands up, picking up Adam as he does so, before walking over to his bed and gently placing him down. "I'll be right back." 

Adam just yawns and lets out a hum in response.

Nick tries to make it quick, taking a fast shower, brushing his teeth, making sure his hair was dry, slipping into a clean pair of pajamas, before walking back out the bathroom.

"I'm just getting us some water to drink!" Nick says, going into his kitchen and filling up two water bottles with water and ice making sure Adam's had a straw, placing a few slices of strawberry and mint into Adam's bottle like he knows he likes. 

Nick comes back to the bed, placing Adam's bottle next to him before opening his own to take his meds. "I thought you might be thirsty. You need to keep your fluids up while you don't have your endo." 

"Thanks Nick." Even in their unhuman form, Adam's eyes have that same expression they get whenever Nick does something nice for him.

His heart swells, "It's nothing, I gotta keep you healthy and all." Nick looks away to place his own bottle on his bedside table. Before doing the same with Adam's, "It's just right here if you need it."

Nick crawls into bed, trying his best not to disturb Adam. It's no use because as soon as he lays down Adam latches himself onto Nick.

Nick hears Adam quietly mumble "Warm" before immediately falling asleep.

Nick huffs out a laugh, before pulling Adam closer. "Sleep well." 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> gay people


	5. Chapter 5

* * *

Nick wakes up slowly. It's probably the best he's slept in quite some time. He sits up and stretches, back popping as he does so.

Something feels… off. Then he remembers Adam was with him when he fell asleep, but he can't see him now.

Nick freaks out for a second, scared that he ran off while he was sleep, and Adam was relatively defenseless.

But then he stops for a second, and he feels what feels like a hazy part of his body was still asleep. He must have just meshed with Nick while they were both asleep. It's not uncommon, to Nick's knowledge, a lot of his human classmates talking about how annoying it was when their partners did that, but Nick didn't really have time for romance. Or so he told himself. He shakes that thought out of his head before deciding he should make them breakfast. It's not the same, Adam probably doesn't like him like that…

He decides to make double chocolate chip pancakes. It's a small comfort for him. Easy and simple.

He feels Adam slowly wake up as he cooks.

"Morning," Nick says out loud and feels kinda stupid doing so.

Adam jolts away, causing Nick's arm to spasm, dropping the spatula.

Fear and anxiety washes over Nick's body, but he knows for once, it's not his own.

Nick's brain is flooded with "ImsorryImsorryImsorry please don't kill me it wouldn't happen again. Please I can explain" 

Nick struggles with the control of his arm to turn off the eye of the stove, before collapsing on the floor, vision hazing over for a second.

"Adam, Adam, it's just me, Nick. Shhhh. It's fine." Nick pulls his (their?) arms around himself (themselves?) squeezing just tight enough for a comforting pressure. "Hey, let's breath alright." Nick concentrates on breathing in slowly, he feels a few points of weird pressure in his chest, which by Nick's best guess should be Adam's lungs. "I'm not going to hurt you. You would know if I was. I'm fine,  _ we are fine _ ." Nick rubs their hands on their pajama pants, focusing on the soft texture and how it feels on their hands. 

After some time their shared heartbeat slows back down, panic slowly ebbing away.

"I'm sorry." Adam says finally.

"You don't have to be, you did nothing wrong. Stop for a second, play attention, do I feel angry or disappointed or anything to you?" Nick softly assures.

Adam stops for a second, Nick can feel him rummaging around in his brain, "No…" he stops again "No, not at all, just… concern? Warmth?"

"See, you are fine, I promise." Nick finally gets up, Brushing themselves off and washing their hands. "I do have to finish making breakfast though." 

"Breakfast sounds good…" Adam almost hums.

"That's why I'm making it, silly. Then we can check and see if the shipment came in and replace your spine." Nick turns the eye back on. "Do you want, like any bacon or anything?" 

"What's that like shredded potatoes human breakfast thing?" Adam's voice is a bit sluggish after the emotional expenditure.

"Hashbrowns?" Nick asks.

"That's the bitch."

Nick goes to start grating potatoes as he waits to flip the last few pancakes. "How crispy?"

"Very crispy" Adam says instantly.

"A man after my own heart." Nick says washing of the starch and ringing out the excessive moisture. 

Adam knows he should be doing something to help Nick, but he can't stop basking in his warmth, both physical and emotional. All he can make himself to is let out a comforting purr. He knows he's being selfish, he'll make it up to Nick later, he tells himself.

As Nick finishes up making breakfast he feels a soft rumble in his chest. It takes him a second to realize it's Adam. He smiles to himself. Content.

  
  
  



	6. Chapter 6

"Hey Nick, You're here early. Finally got your ass up before noon it seems. You here about the order?" A man says as Nick walks in, busy filing his nails.

"Hi, Larry. Of course I am, why the fuck else would I be over on this side of the station otherwise." Nick taps his foot. 

"IDK looking for your boy." Larry responds back not looking up.

"I don't have a 'boy' Larry." 

"I've seen how you've been wondering around the station looking for someone, how much happier you've been. You  _ have _ a boy. Don't lie to me Nick." Larry points his file at Nick.

"Just give me my fucking shipment." Nick tries to brush it off 

"Ooh  _ touchy _ , didn't get enough in the bedroom last night I see." Larry is obviously having too much fun.

"Larry goddammit…" Nick says through gritted teeth.

"Fine, fine, whateves gosh, here you go." Larry places a box on the table. 

"Thank you." Nick snatches the box and turns around and walks out the door.

"Just keep you and your boy safe, weird shits been happenin' Nick!" He says as Nick leaves.

"Sorry about that Adam..." Larry faintly hears as Nick closes the door.

"Fuckin knew it, gayboy." Larry smiles to himself.

Nick makes sure no one can see it hear him.

"You want anything while we are out Adam?"

"Need to pick up a few things from my dorm for work." He feels Adam rumble in his head.

"Sure thing, lead the way!" Nick responds.

It feels weird, not bad, just weird. Letting someone co-pilot your body, Nick thinks. He was afraid that it would be more tug of war and less like the ebb and flow he's experiencing now. There is a definite comfort to it. Knowing someone is with you, to feel Adam's soft, slower, quieter, heartbeat next to his own.

They finally get to his dorm. Adam plugging in his access code like it's second nature despite the awkwardness of using another person's hand.

"Hey, who just who  _ are _ you" A woman asks, his neighbor, Sasha, if he remembers right. He usually passes by her on the way to work. Adam forgot he wasn't in his own body.

"Uhhhh,"

_ Think Adam think! _

"His boyfriend."

_ Fuck! _

"I uhh left my wallet in his dorm last night. Said I could go get it." Adam rubs the back of their head and gives Nick a quiet " _ I'm sorry _ ." 

"Fine by me." she shrugs and walks off.

The door clicks behind them and they sit down on Adam's bed.

Adam thinks he's about to feel Nick anger or panic.

But, it's just more of that intoxicating warmth. 

"It felt nice…" Nick starts. "I wouldn't mind if you didn't. Being your boyfriend, that is."

_ Oh, that's what that warmth is. _

_ It's  _ **_love._ **

"Yeah…" It takes a second for Adam to really truly process it. "Yeah, Yes! Of course! Please?"

"Once we get your Endo-skeleton working I'm going to kiss you silly. That a fucking promise, Adam." 

Excitement, happiness, bliss, all bubbling up in their currently shared body. They wiggle, and laugh, dispersing the pent up energy between the two.

Adam doesn't think he has  _ ever _ been this happy in his life. Never really had the time to, never really had some who  _ cared _ about him as much as Nick did. Never knew anyone who cared about  _ anything _ as much as Nick does. It's a white-hot supernova of passion about anything important to him. And when it's directed at him? Completely unfiltered by the outside world, directly into his brain? It's the closest thing to a religious experience Adam has ever felt.

Adam partially unmeshes, unfurling from Nick's chest to meet him eye to eye.

"I just need to see your face right now…" Adam whispers, no one deserves to hear this but Nick.

"So beautiful…" Adam's voice is airy. Maybe caring is contagious, Adam doesn't think he has ever cared about  _ anything _ as much as he does about Nick in this very moment.

Nick brings his hand up To Adam's face, gently cupping it, looking into his milky white eyes.

"You too, God. Adam, I'm so lucky."

"Luck has nothing to do with this. Don't sell yourself short." 

They begin to move closer, Nick closing his eyes. They meet in a closed mouth kiss, Nick moving to help better support Adams head.

"Love you." Adam says as they part. Without thinking, like it's second nature.

"Love you too, Adam." Nick says as he rubs his thumb against Adam's cheek.

"We should really get back to my lab soon..." Nick says.

"Yeah, yeah, We probably should, should we?" Adam starts to slink back into Nick.

"Wait!" Nick says, grabbing Adam's head

"Mwah" Nick kisses Adam square on the forehead. "There! Now you can." 

"I'll let you grab what you need." Nick says, metaphorically stepping back to let Adam control. He starts to pack a backpack with a lot of equipment, mostly communication equipment. Before also grabbing a few things just in case he stays the night again.

"Ready" Adam says, putting on the backpack and grabbing the box.

Adam looks one last time before closing the door and letting Nick take over to the walk back.


	7. Chapter 7

Nick needed to be in full control for working on something so delicate and precise as the spine. So he set up a heatpad and a blanket nest in the chair beside him for Adam. Who is currently fast asleep. Nick can't blame him, he physically needs more sleep than humans, at least without an endo-skeleton helping regulate, and there is nothing in the worlds that is more comfortable than a blanket nest with a heating pad. 

Off the shelf full spine replacements can be done in a little under an hour with a generic body frame. But this isn't off the shelf, Nick knows Adam deserves more than the hastily cobbled together endo-skeleton that he has now. Even better, it was a labor of love, for the love of helping people, for the love of his craft. But now? It's also a labor of love for Adam, now more than ever.

Not saying he doesn't love Adam when he was just a friend, because, dear god he did. That's one thing about Nick, he tended to be… selective about the people we associated with (truth be told, most people couldn't handle his intensity) so when he did meet someone he could connect to? He loved them. Usually it's platonic or familiar, one reason Dr. Accoiks all but adopted him back in uni. Nick just has a lot of love to give.

He likes to think of himself as polyamorus, but he doesn't think he could be in a relationship where everyone isnt in love with each other. His last few relationships were closed triads and that worked best for him. Something to talk to Adam about later maybe?

After Nick feels like he's done, (truth be told he could have been done way earlier but he's a perfectionist) he gently shakes Adam awake.

"Adam, hey, Adam. It's done, sorry I took so long."

Adam lets out a yawn, rows of needle sharp teeth on full display "Mrrp? Huh…? Oh! Thanks."

"Here, let me help you" Nick scoops Adam up bringing him to his endo-skeleton, watching him as he meshes to it, returning to his bipedal parasymth form before disguising himself in his human form.

"My back doesn't hurt…like at all." Adam says confused, twisting and touching his toes.

"It's not supposed to?" Nick responds. "Wait. How much pain were you regularly in when you used your endo-skeleton" 

"I mean most days it wasn't debilitating but…" Adam starts off.

"Holy shit. Adam… You know that's not normal, please tell me you know that using your endo-skeleton is supposed to be actively harmful to you."

"I mean I just assumed everyone was in this much pain" Adam tries to shrug it off.

"Oh Adam…" Nick brings him in for a hug."I'm not going to rest until we get this fixed. Well actually I will because I need to work at my best because you deserve the best, but you know what I mean."

Adam thinks about Dr. Accoiks. They were pretty much a household name. Known for taking up difficult cases, ones where the clients couldn't hope of paying. He thought it was all for show, hamming it up for tv. Used to dream of his help when he was a kid. His parents didn't really care for him, they worked too hard for too little money, didn't have the energy for a child. He could barely walk on good days. If his parents didn't care for him, why would some guy on tv? But looking at Nick? How Nick treats him. How fondly Nick talks about Dr.Accoiks. Little Adam would be ecstatic to learn that his hero isn't a hack like teen Adam thought. That there is hope and love in the world, that it's not just made up to get viewers to tune in.

"Care to join me for lunch, Adam?" Nick asks, breaking Adam out of his thoughts. "If we hurry we could catch the shuttle topside, I haven't been off this station in a while and there is a restaurant I've been waiting to try…"

"Sure, why not." Adam shrugs.

"Oh, and one more thing, I think I promised you this" Nick places both hands on Adam's face and starts peppering his face with kisses, Adam's face starting to literally glow red with blush.

Adam has taken the shuttle a few times. Usually something pertaining to his mission. But never in this section. He forgot that Nick technically has some pretty high privileges, a lab without monitoring for example. But he's still surprised when they enter through the v.i.p. section. No crowded seats, no additional security checks besides the initial card scanning. They get a semi secluded booth by the window.

"Looking at the stars is one of the things that make working here somewhat livable." Nick says, glancing out the window before looking back at Adam. "But I think I have something just as breathtaking to look at this time"

"Listen, even  _ I _ know that's cheesy." Adam says rolling his eyes.

"Cheesy, but also true! Come on, you can't tell me that you  _ don't _ know that you are absolutely drop dead gorgeous. I mean,  _ look _ at yourself…" Nick nudges Adam, smile wide, eyes twinkling. 

"Whatever you say." Adam responds, rolling his eyes again, blush evident on his face.

It was a relatively short shuttle to the topside. Nick and Adam chattering on about what movie they should watch next, talking about trying to stop by the mediadisk store after lunch if they have time.

"The place I want to go is not far from the station, we should be there in no time." Nick says grabbing Adam's hand and leading the way, following the info on his phone. 

"Isn't this place kinda expensive?" Adam asks.

"I mean, kinda? It's more than the cafeteria for sure, but it's not like a hundred creds a meal or anything. And it's still a bar and grill so it's not too  _ too _ fancy. Besides, it's a special occasion. You have a brand new spine,  _ and _ it's our first date. It's my treat." Nick says reassuringly squeezing his hand.

They are seated in a booth in the corner. It's pretty empty, but they just missed the lunch rush and it's a weekday.

"See anything you like?" Nick asks after some time.

"You" Adam smirks.

"On the menu Romeo," Nick smiles. "get whatever you want, please. I don't go out much and I'm  _ definitely _ not hurt for cash. Perks of selling your soul to the corporation." He grumbles the last part. "I was thinking about getting the house burger... The ones on the station suck ass, it's just not the same as a fresh burger."

"I'll have the… the steak probably, do they do steaks blue here?." Adam hopes it's not too expensive, but the station doesn't have enough iron rich foods.

"I think so? Good choice. I love a man with good taste." Nick says with a smile.

They placed their orders. 

"You know, this was the most confusing food for me growing up" Nick says picking up one of his fries. "one of my dads refused to call them anything but chips, the other? only fries. They met in the middle for just about everything else. Just not this one thing." He says with a laugh. "I just know they are going to love you." 

"You still talk to your parents?" Adam asks.

"Yeah, of course! I usually call them every few weeks. I'm supposed to go see them in December." Nick says, offering some of his fries to Adam.

He takes a few, unsure of the social etiquette.

"Damn, these  _ are _ pretty good. And what do you mean they are going to love me?" Adam asks, still confused.

"I mean, they will probably want to know who my boyfriend is." He shrugs. 

"Huh." Adam just thought the whole taking your s.o. to meet your parents thing was something made up for human movies.

"I'm assuming you are estranged from your parents?" Nick asks.

"Yeah, you could say that…" Adam huffs.

"My family is big enough for the two of us." Nick shrugs. "Plus you'll have to meet Dr. Accoiks! They are more or less a 3rd parent to me." 

"First date and already talking about Introducing me to the family" Adam says.

"If it's making you uncomfortable just tell me, ok?" Nick looks at him with concern.

"Nah, it's fine, just surprised is all. No one ever cared to even  _ talk _ about their family to me before." Adam smiles a bit. Nick must really like him.

"You can come with, if you want. To meet them in December I mean. Not sure how familiar you are with human holidays but it'll be fun either way!" Nick says smiling.

Adam knows he can't say no to something like that, not with that smile. "Sure, why not." 

The trip back to the station was pretty uneventful. It felt good to have some food that wasn't over processed for once. Adam was full, and his hearts were filled with happiness and it felt nice to take a nap on Nick's shoulder as he explained his favourite constellations. 

  
  



	8. Chapter 8

Stuff started to tighten up more not long after. Adam had to be a lot more secretive about his visits. People were starting to get suspicious about all the "accidental" deaths. Especially because low level employees, who tend to  _ usually _ fall to these fates, are all perfectly safe. 

It was late at night, or well, Nick thinks it is, he's not really sure. He was sleeping, he knows that for sure. 

He woke up to the tell tale sign of a vent grate falling to the ground.

Nick stretches, sliding the covers off of him before padding his way over to the sound. He doesn't bother with the lights. The small room's layout was muscle memory for him to navigate at this point, and he knows Adam has better night vision than any human. Nick leaves a small blacklight nightlight on for him anyways. He knows he's not as much of a fan of the dark as Nick is.

Nick sleepily headbutts Adam's chest, eyes still closed. "mmm? you 'right?" Nick mumbles, mostly still asleep. 

"Yeah…" His voice, barely louder than the soft hum of the equipment. "Just wanted to check in on you… Something felt… off. I was" He stops for a second. "I was scared? Scared something happened to you."

"no, 'm fine. come sleep?" Nick starts slightly pulling Adam in the direction towards the bed. Nick's asleep brain not processing how Adam seemed confused for being scared for someone else.

Adam lets out airy laugh. "Yeah, yeah. Why not." He lets himself be dragged by Nick back to the bed. Slipping into the sweater Nick always lets him wear when he's here, and crawls into bed. Nick clinging onto him the second he does.

"Love you" Nick mumbles into his chest.

Adam thinks for a second, Nick probably won't remember most of this when he wakes up, he'll allow himself this one moment of weakness. "I love you too, Nick. More than anything."

Nick hums in response, before placing a kiss to his chest.

Adam wakes up to the smell of breakfast. Coffee, pancakes, hashbrowns. It's become a routine whenever Adam stayed over.

"Mornin' sweetheart." Nick says as soon as Adam pops his head out from under the blankets. "Did you sleep alright?" 

Adam thinks for a moment. "Yeah, yeah actually I did, thank you."

"I barely remember you coming in last night, so it must have been pretty late." Nick begins prepping a plate for Adam.

"Sorry." Adam voice gets quieter.

"Fucking, don't be. Waking up next to you is always a wonderful start to the day. Especially since Boris has been cracking down on stuff. Impressive work babe."Nick smiles.

"Oh… Thanks I guess? Headquarters is pushing for the final part of the mission soon. I would start sending your stuff somewhere safe if I were you, maybe your parents? Just in case shit goes south." Adam says, getting up and moving to the couch. 

"Good idea, my contract ends soon anyways. I'm so glad you came around, they would be expecting The Project some time soon, and honestly, something like that should never exist. But without Boris, there isn't anyone to try and make it a reality." Nick kisses Adam's cheek as he sits down with both their plates.

"Smells good," Adam says, unsure of how to continue.

"I mean, it smells like every breakfast I make. But thanks" Nick starts to eat. "You can come by again tonight if you want. Even if I'm asleep, you are more than welcome to join me. Or just stay up and watch movies, or whatever. I'm not picky. It's just nice to wake up knowing that you are safe, with all these… precautions happening."

One thing Adam has realized is Nick is really good at framing things to make it sound like  _ you _ are helping  _ him _ , when in reality he knows  _ you _ are the one who needs it the most.

"Yeah, of course. I'll come by tonight. Whatever you want, Nick." He says with a genuine smile, not one of his hyper-practiced smirks. It's a bit lopsided and Adam think it looks kinda stupid, but he shoves all those feelings to the side whenever Nick smiles back. It doesn't need to be perfect, it just needs to be him. Nick words echo in his head.

"I'm not exactly sure how late I'll be. I have another 'accident report' tonight, target is kinda tricky." Adam says looking away.

"That's fine." Nick puts a hand on his knee, "Take your time. I might still be up anyways."

They say their goodbye for the day and Adam begins to prepare for his next target.

Assassin work seems glamorous in movies, but for Adam it's just a lot of hiding in uncomfortable places for way too long until sometime happens.

It's Boris 3rd in command, Joe something or nother. Adam didn't really care at this point. They were all starting to blend together if he's being honest. It was simple. Just a shot in the chest, enough to send him over the rails into the vats below. Honesty, the fact that they  _ even  _ had open vats of chemicals should have tipped someone off that these guys are evil. Maybe they just don't watch enough movies or something.

Adam's mind wanders, thinking of what movie they should watch on their date tomorrow, it's his turn to pick this time. Maybe a classic Kaiju movie? Those were always fun, Nick helped fill him in on the the Earth natural disasters and whatnot they tended to be a metaphor for. One thing they tended to skip when releasing Earth movie to the Zigrade market was Earth history. Especially non-human Earth history. 

Finally he shows up, the dumb fuck was always late to everything. Used this status symbol to get out of getting reprimanded for it. 

He looks around looking for something, then just a simple, POP sends him over the railing. They should have followed Universal OSHA guidelines. 

Then the worst part. The screams.

He has to wait until there is solid confirmation the target is down then he can leave. Take a shower, get the chemical smell off of him and lay the fuck down. He tries to remember if he still has a clean set of clothes at Nick's or if he was going to have to stop by his dorm first. He's pretty sure he still has a clean set. If not he'll just "borrow" some of Nick's clothes. Adam preferred using Nick's shower he has one of those fancy showerhead and actual water pressure, unlike the cramped shower he has in his dorm.

Once he is finally confirm dead, Adam slinks back into the vents and heads to Nick's. He's thankful it's a lot earlier this time.

Nick is working on something when he gets back. Quickly tucking it away once Adam gets back. "Your back early!" He says getting up from his workbench and walking over to Adam pulling him into a hug, before wincing at the strong chemically smell. "Sorry, but you need a shower. I can handle blood or sweat, just not… what  _ this  _ is." He kisses him on the cheek for good measure, Adam glowing his signature red as he does so. 

"I was planning on it actually. Just like your shower better…" He rubs the back of his head.

"Just using me for my fucking shower huh?" Nick jokes.

"Guilty" Adam shrugs.

"Get washed up, I'll warm your dinner back up, love." 


	9. Chapter 9

Things on the station have started to become… tense. To say the least. It's been a week since Adam killed the second in command on the station. No one thinks they are accidents now but they also have no proof otherwise. Low level employees, overworked, underpaid spouting whispers of "They had it coming." Higher ups looking over their shoulder, faking nice to their subordinates, in hope that they won't be next. The normally micromanaging Boris hasn't left his office in  _ days _ .

Nick spent the last few days packing the important things, sending it off to his parents, thanking them and promising to grab them as soon as he has his new place. His living quarters are bare and lifeless now.

Adam hasn't been around much, his work keeping him busy, leaving only enough time for some quick modifications on his endo-skeleton and a quick nap if they are lucky. Nick wakes up most days with a note beside his bed and the lingering memory of a kiss on cheek from the night before.

The sound of an air vent grate falling to the ground breaks Nick out of his concentration. Getting up and sprinting as soon as he hears it fall. Picking Adam up in a spinning hug, his feet a few inches off the ground.

"God, I missed you." Nick mumbles into his neck.

Adam soaks it all in for a second. "Missed you too…" letting Nick kiss him several times. 

Adam takes a deep breath in, "Tomorrow's the big day…" 

"I have something for you…" Nick turns and walks to grab something hidden. "I've been working on it for, fuck,  _ weeks _ at this point. More or less since I met you" he walks back to Adam. "It's not perfect by any means, that's for sure. But I've poured my heart and soul into it." 

It's a hand, well an endo-skeleton hand. The most complex and fine-tuned one Adam has  _ ever _ seen in person or otherwise, a far cry from his hand me down off the shelf one he has now. 

" _ Nick… _ oh Nick…" Adam whispers. 

"Hands tend to be one of the most complex and most used parts of the body. Even the most moderate injury or misalignment can cause lasting pain. I know from personal experience. It can make it painful, difficult to interact with your day to day life, and I just want to alleviate some of that pain for you." Nick stops for a second. "Because I love you, Adam."

Adam started crying. He always thought it was weird, how both humans and parasymths cry. How two species, separated by light-years in distance, who never had contact until less than 2 generations ago, could be so similar. 

"Love you too Nick. More than you know. Fuck, more than  _ I  _ know" He pulls Nick back in for a kiss. 

It starts off slow, Nick careful placing the hand down before letting his own tangle in Adam's hair, softly scratching his scalp. Adam smiling into the kiss at that. They take their time savoring each others presence. Unsure of what the next day will bring.

"We,we should replace your hand before it gets late…" Nick says, breaking away from the kiss, before giving him another peck. 

"Mmm… in a moment." Adam starts kissing down Nick's neck. Open mouth kisses leaving pinprick indents of sharp teeth.

" _ Oh _ Adam…" Nick breathlessly laughs.

Nick leads Adam to the workbench after they finally catch their breath.

"Hopefully this shouldn't take too long…" Nick says, gently holding Adam's hand in his, "It connects just past the wrist so most of the hard stuff is already done."

"I trust you, Nick, take your time." Adam unmeshed from his hand, tendriling back up his arm.

It felt… fitting, finally replacing his hastily done repair work that brought them closer together in the beginning. Going from seeing Adam's practiced suaveness to his genuine enthusiasm and awkwardness, makes Nick's heart flutter a little bit more.

"Exactly what are you going to do after this?" Nick asks. "I've… I've been kinda afraid to ask."

Adam breaths in "Well, usually I have a few weeks off, before I have to prepare for another mission, but it's all up in the air right now." He shrugs with one arm. 

"Ah.. Ok…" Nick says, monotone.

"What about you?" Adam asks.

"Hmm… Not sure. Probably see my dads, may work on some side jobs for the Doctor. I have enough money to keep me afloat until I find a new contract." 

The silence hangs over them.

"Made another deal with me Adam?" Nick asks after some time, not looking up.

"Sure, anything. Anything at all." Adam responds.

"After all  **this** is over" Nick waves his free hand in a general 'everything' motion, "after all of it is done. That we  _ will _ see each other again. Promise me this."

Adam looks Nick dead in the eye " _ Whatever _ it takes...  _ Whoever _ it takes...  _ However _ long it takes… I  _ will _ see you again." 

"Thats all I need to hear. Thank you." Nick looks at him with tears in his eyes. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> shit hits the fan next chapter


	10. Chapter 10

Nick is alone. His quarters are nearly empty. He packed his last box and sent it the night before. Just the bare essentials. Adam left late last night, or maybe it was early this morning, a promise between two pairs of lips. Nick can't remember exactly what time it was. He has more pressing matters on his hands. Waiting for him to come back.

He paces, and paces, and paces some more. His knees hurt from it, a dull throbbing pain. 

His ears turned. Waiting, hoping he will hear the crash of the metal grate, signaling that Adam is back.

His eyes ache, he hears his own heartbeat thumping in his chest.

Something is off.

Something is bad. For once he's dead certain it's not his general anxiety getting the better of him.

He knows distantly that Parasymth's can send alerts to ones that they are close with emotionally when they get life-threateningly injured. An evolved warning mechanism from when they were still parasitic, and a means to warn others discreetly would be beneficial. But that couldn't also work with Humans too… Could it?

He decides to stick his head under the sink. Cold water numbing the nerves on his scalp.

He dries his hair and breaths.

Then it happens.

The alarms go off. Actually physical alarms, not just the ones in his head. All of them. Every. Single. Last. One layering over another. Each one adding up to be a cacophony of noise.

He runs out of his lab. It's a panic out there. Everyone is running to the nearest escape pods. Mob mentally taking over. It's absolute hell.

And Nick is about to run against the flow, into the very epicenter of it all. Dodging elbows and knees, and using every last side hall he knows. Mind numb with fear. Fear for Adam.

Nick knows exactly where Boris' office is, he's been there a few times. Mainly when he first got here, before he got The Project assigned to him. His ID card lets him in, no problem.

Nick wasn't prepared to see what happened in front of him.

He never could have.

He felt sick.

He saw an endo-skeleton.  _ Adam's _ endo-skeleton. It couldn't be anyone else's. He knows everything about it. Every last feature of it, and a few of his own maker's marks.

Smashed, absolutely destroyed, completely unusable, missing a hand.

Adam is nowhere to be seen. Thick inhuman blood trailing off to somewhere but Nick can't see where.

Nick grabs his box cutter. It's the only thing he has. White knuckle gripping it as he walks into the room.

"Ah, Dr. Nickolas. Wasn't expecting you." Boris' thick accent fills the room. Smug, sure of himself in the way a man who just won feels. 

"Thought you would have left with the others. All my guards, they left me as soon as the alarms went off. Cowards." He stands up. Breathing heavily, obviously injured, limping, blood covering his clothes. "But you! I  _ knew _ you were a loyal man." He pours a drink from an intricate decanter. "Come, drink with me Doctor." 

Nick walks closer, heart beating through his chest. Hand still tight on the box cutter. He grabs the glass offered to him, waiting for Boris to take a sip first before mimicking him. 

It burns his throat.

He closes his eyes and breathes in.

Flight becomes fight. The frozen chill of adrenaline numbing everything but survival.

Nick isn't by any means a fighter, but he has enough medical training to know  _ exactly _ where to aim.

He feels the box cutter click as he reveals the blade, he takes a steading breath.

He raises the blade, stabbing it directly into Boris' neck, his glass shattering as it hits the ground.

Boris begins to choke on his own blood.

"Where is he." Nick's voice is ice cold and piercing.

"Maybe, I was wrong about you Doctor." Boris tries to laugh, coughing up more blood.

"Where. Is. He" Nick twists the blade a little deeper, his hands now slippery with someone else's blood, he feels sick to his stomach but he can't show that. 

Boris' eyes start to go distant. "You are Loyal man, just not to me it seems. I should have guessed, if anyone were to fall for a  _ thing _ like  _ that _ . It would have been you, no? A bleeding heart doctor only in for the, as you say 'warm and fuzzys'? But, I know when I have lost fight. Maybe you should too eh? Doctor Nickolas." He laughs once more, spraying Nick with blood, before going limp, Nick can feel the  _ exact _ moment when his heartbeat stop through the box cutter

Nick drops the knife. Falling to his knees. adrenaline starting to ebb away. Tunnel vision dissipating. What… What did he just  _ do! _ A man is dead because of him. An awful miserable excuse for a man, but a man nonetheless.

He starts sobbing.

Nick hears something behind him, scrambling to grab his knife. It slips from his grip a few times. His hands shaking violently. Nick turns around.

"Nick? Nick is that you" Adam's voice is a gargled mess, he looks absolutely terrible. His usual crimson glow is now a dull pale complexion. "Nick… it has to be you, no one glows like that. Nick… I'm sorry… I can explain."

Nick scrambles over to Adam, scooping him up. "Shhh, not now, save your energy." He pulls him close. "Adam. Adam you have to mesh with me." 

"No, too much strain on your body." Adam's voice is weak.

"I know the dangers, trust me. I can't fucking loose you Adam.  _ Please. _ You  _ promised. _ "

Adam coughs. "I guess I can't pass up an offer like that." 

Adam meshes with Nick, Nick instantly feeling the severity of Adam's injuries. Stumbling a bit before standing up completely. "We need to get to my lab. Now." 

"I know the fastest way, trust me. It just might be… Weird." Adam sounds less like he's on death's door.

"Go for it. Just get us there, please." Nick let's Adam take the lead.

Adam tendrils up an air vent.

"Oh god, oh fuck!" Nick yelps, "Yeah, yeah this weird." 

"Sorry" he hears Adam whisper, somewhere behind his eyes. 

"Not bad… just.. weird." Nick almost feels motion sick, Adam's bloodloss, now Nick's bloodloss, not helping much.

Nick sees the ship through the vents as they run. Completely desolate. He hasn't seen a single person. A far cry to the chaos he saw not long before.

Adam is right they get to his lab faster than Nick has even been. Its weird being on the other end of the grate crashing.

Nick scrambles to his bio-fridge. Adam's assistance is the only way he could move. Digging for an autoinjector of synthetic blood before stabbing it in his thigh. Its a large dose, enough to replace what Adam has lost.

"That should hold us off until your healing kicks in." Nick huffs, finally catching his breath. Grabbing a few more bottles of medicine before crawling to the kitchen, grabbing an armful of electrolyte replacement drinks, and collapsing on the couch.

"What the  _ fuck _ happen to you Adam?" Nick says finally.

"I would rather not get into the details, but he was expecting me, and I wasn't expecting that. Six shots. One to the leg, four in the chest… and one in the fucking head, skull just taking enough damage that my brain wasn't fuckin a splatter on the wall. My old one would have shattered at the slightest pressure." He stops for a second, Nick can feel tears pooling in his eyes, unsure if it was Adam's or his own. "I'm only alive because of you, you know." They take a deep breath in. "I crawled away when he wasn't looking, must have thought that's just how I died, watching as he smashed the rest up. Was only able to save this." Adam uses Nick's hand, reaching for his pocket, pulling out Adam's hand, still in perfect condition. "I couldn't let him destroy it. I barely  _ deserved _ it. A man like that doesn't even deserve to  _ look _ at it." Adam unbinds just enough to curl around it protectively, like it's the most important thing in the world.

"I love you Adam." Nick finally responds.

"Love you too, Nick." The words linger in the air.

"Lets get cleaned up then we can rest. No one else here is alive. Everyone escaped safely except, us two, and Boris. And he's been taken care of."

"Yeah, yeah. Good idea."Nick slowly standing up.

Nick thanks his past self for leaving his shower chair in the shower. Collapsing in it, letting the warm water wash the dried gore off his body.

This was never what Nick had in mine whenever he thought about taking a shower with Adam, that's for sure.

They pull on a pair of pajamas before promptly collapsing on the bed, into a dreamless sleep.

  
  


* * *

  
  
  


"This is a distress signal from The New Alaskan Station. At the following coordinates: [ ] There are two survivors, please respond."

"Hello this is Captain Mitchell Shephard of The Avalon Vale, acknowledging the distress signal. My coordinates are [ ]. I should be arriving at 0900 hours galactic standard time."

"Godspeed Mitchell"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> arc 1 finale. the next few chapters after Mitchell's introduction will be set in a more of a villian of the week with a general over arcing story kinda set up. imagine this as the 2 hours long tv special before a series starts proper


	11. Chapter 11

Nick and Adam woke up a few hours later. Feeling like absolute shit but still surprising well, considering the extent of Adam's injuries.

Nick cracked open one of the electrolyte replacement drinks before taking some of the pills. Mainly something for pain, but also a catch all anti-infection medicine Nick keeps on hand in case of emergencies. He's for sure not a full-blown surgeon or anything but has around the training level of a paramedic. 

"I need to contact hq." Adam's voice is monotone.

"Yeah, yeah, sure. You left your comms here right?" Nick says, walking over to the cabinet Nick let Adam keep his stuff in. 

"Yeah, it should be about...here it is." Adam says grabbing the comms before switching it on.

"[Untranslatable Parasymth name] reporting in using an auxiliary host. Final target has been terminated. Arranging means for pick up."

Adam speaks clearly into the mic.

"Unauthorized use of host, unauthorized information compromised. Agent permanently discharged, final payment will be sent to your account but no additional benefits. Pick up is unauthorized. Just be glad we covered your ass." The distorted robotic voice responds.

Adam drops the comms, it clatters to the ground.

"Discharged... Unauthorized… They ruin my life just to throw me away at their earliest convenience…" Nick can feel Adam drop all shared control over his body, slinking away to hide in his head.

Nick's instinct to panic is overwhelmed by his instinct to help Adam.

"Hey at least we don't have to worry about you going on another mission without me…" Nick tries to add.

He feels Adam huff. "Yeah, I guess so…"

"Well worry about the details later, alright? Lets go find a way off this place." Nick knows having a clear task helps Adam focus on something else and he processes stuff better once he has had time to calm down.

They walk the abandoned halls, heading to the communication wing. Passing by a tv in one of the break rooms. They stop and listen as they show a picture of the station.

"After a catastrophic failure last night the New Alasken Station has been evacuated after the sudden death of former ceo Boris Ivanov. Boris was the only casualty, the rest of the station evacuated successfully. Daughter of the former ceo and current ceo, Sasha Ivanov explains that they are abandoning the station, and liquidating all remaining assets equally amongst the remaining employees before shutting down the company for good." 

"I guess at least our work put some good into the universe." Nick says, physically shaking away the phantom feeling of the box cutter in his hand.

"Thanks again for saving my life, Nick." Adam says, trying to get Nick to frame it differently.

"Yeah, yeah, you're right. Let's just continue moving." Nick says distantly.

They get to the emergency communication panel and start up the S.O.S signal.

"This is a distress signal from The New Alaskan Station. At the following coordinates: [ ] There are two survivors, please respond." Nick tries his best to enunciate clearly. Waiting for any sort of response.

About a minute later, a crackle comes through the panel.

"Hello this is Captain Mitchell Shephard of The Avalon Vale, acknowledging the distress signal. My coordinates are [ ]. I should be arriving at 0900 hours galactic standard time."

Nick blinks, confused at first, then excited as he finally processes the words.

"Godspeed Mitchell"

  
  


Mitchell turned off his mic but left the communication channel open. Flipping a few switches before changing course. He knew Adrain would be on his ass if he didn't help whoever these guys are. And he doesn't need to be lectured by his younger brother for the fourth time this week. The New Alaskan had some pretty valuable stuff, maybe he could grab something that sells for a pretty penny, help pay off some of the loans he took out to help Adrian open his mechanic shop… He hasn't even had enough money to hire a crew in  _ months _ and it's starting to get hard for him to run on his own. He sighs and focuses on getting there as soon as he can.

  
  
  


"That's what? Three hours until arrival?" Nick asks.

"Just about yeah." Adam goes to look at their wrist before realizing this isn't his arm and Nick doesn't wear a watch.

"I guess we should pack up all the stuff we have left." Nick says connecting his phone to the panel wirelessly, and walking out the door. "Your place first?" 

Adam just hums a response.

"I don't really have a lot." Adam says once they get to his dorm, taking the lead and grabbing his duffle bag before placing things in it. "I had to put more or less everything I wanted to keep in this bag." He says carefully placing his things in the bag. "Not that I really had much to begin with." 

"That's where my jacket went!" Nick says as they are packing up Adam's clothes.

"Yeah… sorry. I was cold, and I was in your quarters, leaving you the note before I had to leave again, and it was right there… I made sure there wasn't anything in your pocket!" Adam says defensively.

Nick puts on one of Adam's jackets. "Look! Now we're even." Nick says with a smile.

They walk back to the lab. Adam's duffle bag, around their shoulders.

"You think I could like, just take all the equipment from the lab?" Nick jokingly asks

"They are abandoning it, better you than anything else I guess." Adam adds.

"Actually, your right! Lets just hope whoever pick us up agrees…" Nick starts prepping the equipment for moving. 

Nick hears his phone go off, it's from the emergency comms panel. 

"This is Captain Mitchell Shepherd of the Avalon Vale, approaching your location, is there anything I should be aware of before docking?"

"No, no one else here besides the two of us, Station is still fully operational besides the lack of personeel." 

"Huh. Well ok then." Mitchell breaks from his serious demeanor for a second, confused. "Send me your location on the Station and I'll meet you two there."

Nick fiddles with his phone for a moment.

"Files send, Thank you Captain Shephard."

"And now we wait…" Nick says sitting down.

  
  


There is a knock on his lab door and Nick jumps.

"Come in?" Nick panicking a response.

A man opens the door, stands a few shorter inches shorter than Nick, built heavy. A small handfull of facial scars, overgrown beard, Bright red cybernetic eye contrasting a icey blue natural eye.

"This is Captain Mitchell Shephard, where is the other survivor?" The man, Mitchell asks.

"Adam?" Nick says, Adam's head unmeshing out of his chest.

"Well ok… and your name is?" Mitch asks.

"Nick, Dr. Nick, if you are going to continue calling yourself captain all the time." Nick adds.

"Well then, Nick, I'm assuming this is your lab? You aren't like some sort of evil scientist or something?" 

"God, no. Well Boris  _ wanted _ me to be but, god, no. I work in bio-mech. Mainly prosthesis and endo-skeleton work. Although I also know emergency first aid in a pinch." 

Nick stops for a second. "Talking about my lab, is there anyway I could convince you to look the other way and allow me to take this equipment?" Nick says, trying his best to mimic one of Adam's signature smirks but knows it falls flat.

The man just lets out a hearty chuckle. "I'm a fuckin' scrapper, I don't give a shit. Hell I'll help you carry it out. Unspoken rule of scrapers, You wait one week from it being abandoned before you can scrap, unless you save survivors, then you get first pickings. A haul like this is once in a fuckin' lifetime." 

"Oh, thank fuck." Nick breaths out. "That would be a big help, Adam here got shot… several times… yesterday. Hence why he's meshed." 

Adam just awkwardly smiles and says "Whoops."

"Goddamnit, here let me take you to my ship, Adrian would fucking  _ kill _ me if I made someone who just got shot, or the guy helping the person who got shot carry heavy supplies." Mitch sayi leading them to his ship.

"Adrian?" Nick asks.

"Just my fuckin goody two shoes little brother. He's a spaceship mechanic down on back on earth." He shrugs. 

"So this is the Avalon Vale, He's not the prettiest of ships but he's more than reliable. Feel free to go anywhere, besides the locked rooms. Jer can show you to the kitchen if you get hungry." He gently pats the wall of the ship.

"Hey Jer!" Mitch calls out to the ceiling.

"Yeah Mitch?" The ship's ai responds.

"Can you help show these two guys around? I need to go grab their stuff." Mirch asks. 

"Sure thing! Hi! I'm Jeremiah, Mitch usually just calls me Jer!" The ship's ai chirps happily.

"I'm Nick and this is Adam" Nick says back.

"You said Nick and Adam right?" The ai confirms "Sometimes it's hard to hear, if you could speak a little clearer and louder that would be awesome!" 

"Oh! Sure!" Nick speaks a little louder. 

"Thanks! Hey you guys wanna play video games with me?" 

Nick looks at Adam, who is still partly unmeshed and shrugs.

"Why not."

Jer directs them to the living room.

"Just leave the door open, I can't go in a room if the door is closed, some sort of like, privacy thing. Hey! You guys wanna play Minecraft 2? I need help building my slime farm." Jer asks.

"I can't really play right now do to my lack of my own body, but I wouldn't mind watching."Adam yawns.

"I'm fine with Minecraft 2." Nick says picking up the controller. 

After playing for a few hours (Adam quickly took it as his chance to nap, meshing back with Nick fully.) Nick decided he should probably take a break.

"Hey Jer?" Nick asks. 

"Hmm?" He responds, still mining for ore in the game.

"Can you show us where the kitchen is?" He asks, getting up and stretching.

"Yeah! It's literally just across the hall, haha!" Jer laughs.

"Thanks Jer!" Nick says walking across the hall.

"No probs!"

Mitch doesn't have much variety of food but Nick can work with that.

Mitchell finally finishes moving in the lab equipment and what was presumably Nick's living quarters, before grabbing what he wanted from the station. His equipment made the task fairly easy.

"Hey Jer? Where's Nick and Adam?" Mitch asks. Parking his forklift.

"Kitchen! Nick's making something, smells good!" He responds.

"Hey" Mitch says walking is. "Jer said you were in here, I hope that's fine."

"Yeah! Of course. Sit down if you want, just finished making some spaghetti. How much do you want? I hope it's fine I made quite a bit because it's always better the next day." Nick says, already making Mitch a plate.

"Uhh.. That should be good thanks" Mitchell says, surprised. "I didn't even  _ know _ I had stuff to make spaghetti, fuck, I haven't had any in  _ years _ ." 

Nick just kinda shrugs, and makes an "I don't know" sound, "I guess it's just one of my skills?" 

"It's fine I didn't get how he does it either." Adam adds.

"Shit, you made this?" Mitch asks after a few bites. "You didn't, I don't fuckin know, summoned some italian nonna to make this."

"Thanks… I think? I'm glad you like it." Nick rubs the back of his head.

"I've been meaning to ask you, where am I supposed to be taking you two." 

"Well my contact here is over, and Adam is also out of a job, so my dads' house? Should have put more thought into that." 

"I know you were in Bio-mech, Nick. But what was your job Adam?"

"Assassin." he says simply.

"Ah, So Boris was  _ your _ handy work? Saw the body impressive work."

"Actually that was me." Nick mumbles.

Mitch chokes on his drink. "Wait? Fuckin  _ What?!" _

"He almost killed Adam, I panicked." Nick tried to shrug it off, but looks pale as a ghost.

Silence hangs in the air for a moment.

Mitch starts tapping his foot. "Fuck, if you guys don't have anywhere to go, you could stay here for a bit. It's a big ship. I don't really have much crew. I know Jer would enjoy the company." 

"Yeah! They played Minecraft 2 with me!" Jer interrupts. 

"Wait? You did?" Mitch asks. "Jer did you actually show them around or did you just play Minecraft 2 all day."

"Actually that was my fault, we were supposed to after a bit but I uhhh, got a little too wrapped up in playing and kinda forgot. Then I decided to make dinner. He  _ did _ show me to the kitchen like you said" Nick adds, kinda embarrassed. "But I can't speak for Adam, but I think I would like to take you up on that offer."

"Sounds good to me" Adam says before stealing the food off Nick fork

"Well then, welcome to the Avalon Vale." Mitch puts his glass out for a toast. 


	12. Chapter 12

"Hey Doc? it's me, Nick." He speaks into his phone, stopping pacing when they answer.

"Yes, yes, dear. I  _ do _ have caller ID you know. And this is a video call. What is it that you need?" Dr. Accoiks, an older Parasymth with a light salmon glow, answers. 

"I, uhh, I need your help. I'm sure you heard the news of the New Alaska. I'm safe, I promise. But my," He pauses for a second bracing himself, "My boyfriend didn't get as lucky as I did…" He shuts his eyes, tears burning his eyes. "He's relatively safe now but, his endo-skeleton was completely destroyed." Nick is seconds away from a breakdown.

"And you want me to help you supply parts, because, without a company behind you or your own practice, freelancers can't order higher precision parts without approval from a reputable practice, hmm?" Their voice is comforting and parental.

"Yeah" Nick gives himself a second to breathe. "Money isn't an issue, I have more than enough from the last contract. Him being safe is the only thing that matters to me right now."

"I'll do it under one condition. Let me meet him." They say with a smile.

Nick wipes the tears from his eyes."Yeah, yeah of course!"

"Everything will be at supply cost. I'm not going to make my own [Parasymth for soul family] drain their savings to help their loved one." They say, already filling out some paperwork, "We'll work out the details to meet up for dinner later. Love you Nick."

Nick smiles wide, eyes still teary, "Love you too, Doc." 

"You ok Nick? You look kinda sad. And you were in there for quite some time" Jeremiah asks as Nick walks into the hall.

"Yeah, yeah I'm fine, I'll tell you but you have to keep it a secret, ok?" Nick tells Jer.

"Of course!." Jer cheerfully responds.

Nick looks both ways before signing simply towards one of the ship's cameras. Nick's common sign language is quite rusty but he doesn't want to speak too loud. "Calling mentor, getting parts for a new body for Adam. Adam doesn't know, expensive parts." 

"Aww how sweet!" Jer responds. 

Nick flops down on the couch next to Adam and Mitch, only Adam's head is poking out of the blanket nest. Nick places a small kiss on his forehead.

Mitchell clears his throat. "I've, uhh… I've been meaning to ask. I know you two are together, but are you two like, fuck,  _ together _ together?"

"Yeah for, uhh about a month or two at this point, right Adam?" Nick asks.

"One month, 2 weeks, 4 days." He responds yawning.

"Ah, ok…" Mitchell responded, almost disappointed. 

"Why?" Nick asks.

Mitch looks away. "No fuckin' reason. Just... didn't want to step on any toes or anything."

"Ah, ok." Nick checks his phone. "Hey, uhh I need to pick up some parts, for my research. What's a good place I could have them mailed to?" 

"My brother's garage should be fine. I'll let him know. We needed to stop by anyways. I found some parts on the station that would help the Vale run a little smoother." Mitch makes a one moment motion. "Hey Jer? Can you  _ please _ set the autopilot to" He sighs, "To fuckin', your Uncle Adrian's." Mitch sounds a bit embarrassed, but fond of Jeremiah.

"We are seeing Uncle Adrian?! Yeaaah! Want me to text him too?" Jeremiah responds in a rush from excitement.

"Fuckin' yeah, yes please." Mitch says, trying his best to pass off a fond smile as a grimace.

"He's, not a ship ai is he?" Nick asks, quietly.

"Nah, found him on my first run, fuck, 10? years ago. He was left, abandoned on a station. Some rich family just fuckin' abandoned the whole station after they found some fancy new shiney one. He was left there." Mitch takes a deep breath in, standing up and closing the door so Jer didn't have to listen. "He was left there, alone. Human level intelligence and emotions. I'm just glad he was put on stasis mode while they were gone. His body was more or less trashed. Other scrapers just wanted the valuable metal. I heard him call out for help when I entered the room. Sounded like a fuckin child. No. He was a fucking child. More or less just his core survived. I tried my best and hooked him up to the ship. I could at least keep him company. I had to teach him most of the stuff the old fashioned way. More or less homeschooled him. Wasn't too hard, more or less had to raise my lil brother when I was younger. Jer is, god, he has to be like, fuckin' 19 at this point. Not including the time in stasis." Mitch smiles warmly. "He's a good kid." 

Nick's eyes go slightly distance, darting around as he formulates a plan."I have some parts left from the project, too bulky to use for endo-skeletons. but should be fine for a full body." 

"I'm sure Jer would love that." Mitch smiles at Nick, and his heart beats a little faster at that. "Whatever I need to do to help just fuckin' tell me. That kid deserves the world." 

"Yeah, yeah it's, no problem. Least I can do for the two of you." He says before texting someone on his phone, before instantly getting a response. Getting up and opening the door before sitting back down "Ok so this is awkward. I'm talking to my mentor, Dr. Accoiks, they are more or less my like, 3rd parent. So I was going to ask later when it was just me and Adam but might as well ask now because it has changed. They want me to invite you all to meet them over dinner. Jer, you are included too. Quote: "I want to meet the 3 people who kept my soul child safe." It will be awhile because he's in a tight spot right now with work. But if I don't ask now I'll forget."

"I wanna go!" Jer excitedly responds.

"I mean if Jer is invited, I guess I fucking have to go" Mitch shrugs.

"Of course I will, dear" Adam responds, sitting up a little straighter.

"They said they are excited to see you, then they sent like a gif2 of a little yellow pill guy dancing." Nick says, reading off his phone. "And that is the package for me should be at the your brother's in a day or two."

"It's a Minion Nick." Jeremiah tells him.

"Ok, so a dancing minion. Sorry." Nick says smiling and shaking his head. 

"We should watch the movie, the first one is good, all the rest are shitty cash grabs" Jeremiah responds. "The first one is really sweet though!"

"Why the fuck not, you guys ok with it?" Mitch ask Nick and Adam. Who just shrug in response.

Jer was right, the first one was good in a cheesy found family way, and all the rest sucked, they all ended up falling asleep halfway through the 3rd one.

**Author's Note:**

> im taking a break from demo lovers bc scifi fun


End file.
